If Everyone Cared
by AmazonTurk
Summary: Songfic about Rude's death and how Reno deals.  Rated T for language.


_**A/N: Ugh...the Songfic Muse has been listening to Nickelback...oy. Okay, anyway...this one requires a bit of explaination. Reno has been sober for about eight months. He's seriously dating Yuffie. Rude has been seeing this girl named Ruby who he got pregnant. Rude and Ruby die in a mission and their child is artificially incubated until it's "birth", at which time Reno and Yuffie will adopt it and raise it as their own. I know...now that you are thoroughly confused by that fucked up information (trust me, if you read my unfinished fanfic it's based on, you'll understand)...HERE WE GO!**_

_**Disclaimer: (shoots Squeenix) IT'S MINE!!! ALL MINE!!! (Squeenix reforms outta goo) Damn it. Never mind. Nickelback own's the song. But I own the CD. **_

* * *

He sat alone at the dark table, fisted hands resting against the rough surface. 

"What'll you have, Darlin'?"

He didn't even look up at the waitress when he voiced his request.

"One shot."

From underneath the trees, we watch the sky

Confusing stars for satellites

I never dreamed that you'd be mine

But here we are, we're here tonight

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I'm alive

The empty chair across the table drew his gaze as he stared through the red strands hanging in his face. Many times for many years, that chair had been occupied by a familiar form. Stoic, strong and stable features softening as the alcohol melted the wall he wore.

That chair would remain vacant.

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

Then we'd see the day

When nobody died

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I'm alive

"Reno? I thought you quit drinking? We haven't seen you in here for a while."

The waitress sat the drink in front of him as she spoke. Reno continued to stare across the table.

"The drink's not for me."

"Expecting a friend?"

Tears stung at the back of Reno's eyes, the brilliant aquamarine darkening in pain.

"Yeah."

And in the air, the fireflies

Our only light in paradise

We'll show the world they were wrong

And teach them all to sing along

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I'm alive

He could almost picture Rude sitting across from him. Dark sunglasses on even in the dank tavern, hiding the slight twinkle in his eyes.

Reno stared at the drink in the center of the table. The dark liquor waited, begging to be consumed, promising release from his pain. It would feel so good snaking down his throat to his empty belly, entering his system quickly due to his three day fast.

He looked back at the empty chair and watched as Rude shook his head slightly.

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

Then we'd see the day

When nobody died

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Rude was gone. Reno was supposed to raise his kid, to be a father to his best friend's son. A son who would never know what kind of man his father was. How he could break a man's jaw with one hit; how cracking his neck made people flinch with the pain that would immediately follow.

How he'd been the best friend Reno had ever had. How he'd never given up on him and carried his sorry ass home when he was too drunk to walk.

How he'd been Reno's only family for years.

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

Then we'd see the day

When nobody died

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Reno's tears ran freely now as he stared across the table at his best friend.

"Why?" he choked out. "Why you go and do something stupid like that?"

Rude shrugged and gave him a smile. "Shit happens."

"Damn it!" Reno sobbed. "I was supposed to die first, not you. I'm the careless fuck! Not you, damn it! Not you."

"Life's a bitch, Buddy," Rude said affectionately. "You can't be careless now. You got a job to do and I'm counting on you."

Reno lowered his head and closed his eyes tightly.

"I know."

And as we lie beneath the stars

We realize how small we are

If they could love like you and me

Imagine what the world could be

"We cool?"

Reno looked back at Rude and ran his hand over his face. "Yeah," he answered. "We're cool."

He stood and threw a few gil on the table next to the untouched drink. He gave his partner a crooked grin and gestured to the shot.

"One for the road, Buddy."

"Thanks, Man."

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

Then we'd see the day

When nobody died

Reno turned to go and cast one final look back at the all to familiar table.

The glass was empty.

Singing Amen, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I'm alive

* * *

_**A/N: I killed Rude. I'm so sad. I need a drink. (hugging Reno as we weep bitterly at the loss of the Big Man) **_

_**Rude: Ummm...not dead.**_

_**Me/Reno: RUDE!!!**_

_**Me (weeping): I thought you were dead!!!**_

_**Reno: I saw you bleed!**_

_**Rude: Fiction...does the word mean anything to you guys?**_

_**Me: Uh...it's fun?**_

_**Rude: Made up...not real...characters live and die all the time...watch (shoots Reno)**_

_**Reno: (dies)**_

_**Me and tons of Reno fangirls: NNNOOOOOOO!!!**_

_**Reno: (leaping to his feet and throwing hands up) I'm okay!**_

_**Me and tons of Reno fangirls: WOOT!**_

_**Me: Okay, please review if you liked it. I know, I know...songfic...(shudder). They're fun to write though. And everytime you hear the song, you think of the fic! BWAH HA HA HA!!! I have successfully succeeded in getting in your head! BWAH HA HA HA!!!**_

_**Rude (to Reno): Quit feeding her hypers!**_

_**Reno: But it's FUN!!!!**_

_**Rude: (shoots Reno)**_

_**Reno: (dies)**_

_**Me: NOOOOO!!!**_


End file.
